Lake Davis Fishing Report | October 5, 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
Top of the water column. Soft plastic about 5 to 6 feet down, trolling fly about 10 feet down.
Presentation
Two lead core rods. Orange Trout Trix minnow with an action disc about a half inch off the nose, trolled 1.8 to 2.2 mph. Mickey Finn Metal Head trolling fly with an added double hook. In lower clarity lakes, brighter flies shine.
Lures and baits
Mickey Finn Metal Head trolling fly produced the two biggest fish. Trout Trix Minnow Elite in UV clown pattern. An earlier trip produced fish on a micro trigger spoon and a Trout Trix Minnow XL. Night crawlers as tippers.
Water temperature
58.7 degrees
Water clarity
Nutrient dense lake with lower water clarity
Weather
Crisp fall air, nighttime lows dipping into the high 20s, about 48 hours ahead of a full moon.
Advice for this week
Match fly color to water clarity. The more color in the water, the brighter the fly. In clear lakes, lean on soft plastics or spoons. In fall, upsize baits and fish bold, bright colors, since trout feed hard before winter.
Next week
Fall is prime in the High Sierras. Expect strong trout fishing at Davis into the first week of November, with Almanor, Eagle, Boca, and Prosser all turning on. As the high lakes cool, drop to the foothill lakes.
Notable catch
Around 12 fish, including three or four thick, square-tail rainbows in the two pound class that looked like steelhead.
The fall bite is on at Lake Davis on October 5, 2025, with the surface at 58.7 degrees. Capt. Cal Kellogg worked the top of the water column from a kayak and caught about 12 rainbows, including chrome, square-tail beauties. Top producers were a Mickey Finn Metal Head fly down 10 feet and an orange Trout Trix Minnow down 5 to 6 feet on lead core.
How is the fishing at Lake Davis right now?
Excellent. Capt. Cal Kellogg found prime fall conditions on October 5, 2025, with the surface at 58.7 degrees, and caught about 12 rainbows from his kayak. Several were beautiful, chrome, square-tail fish. He calls it redemption after a tough trip 10 days earlier.
What depth are the fish holding at Lake Davis?
Up high in the water column. Cal ran a lead core rig with the minnow down about 5 to 6 feet and a trolling fly down about 10 feet. Fish came in 17 to 26 feet of water off points and islands, holding near the top as fall cools the lake.
What lures work at Lake Davis in the fall?
Trolling flies and soft plastics. Cal's best was a Mickey Finn Metal Head fly with an added double hook. An orange Trout Trix Minnow on an action disc also produced, and he landed the first fish ever on the new Trout Trix Minnow Elite in UV clown.
When should you run trolling flies versus soft plastics?
Match water clarity. Cal says flies shine in nutrient-dense, lower-clarity lakes like Davis, and the more color in the water, the brighter the fly. In crystal-clear lakes he leans to soft plastics or spoons for their cleaner action. His target speed at Davis was 1.8 to 2.2 mph.
Watch the full report
Lake Davis October 5, 2025 FAQ
Rainbow trout, about 12 for the day, including chrome square-tail fish, per Capt. Cal Kellogg.
Up high, with the minnow down 5 to 6 feet and the fly about 10 feet in 17 to 26 feet of water.
About 58.7 degrees on the surface, prime fall conditions.
A Mickey Finn Metal Head fly and an orange Trout Trix Minnow, plus the new Trout Trix Minnow Elite.
A target speed of 1.8 to 2.2 miles per hour.
In nutrient-dense, lower-clarity lakes like Davis, with brighter flies as water color increases.
